Paul McCartney’s rep denies he banned unflattering portrait

ABC/Heidi Gutman

Paul McCartney’s rep is disputing a claim by an artist who suggested that a portrait he made of The Beatle legend was banned for being unflattering.

As previously reported, London artist Wilfrid Wood created a sculpture of McCartney’s face for the cover art for “Pipes of Peace,” McCartney’s contribution to War Child U.K.’s annual Secret 7” auction, but shared on Instagram that it was “BANNED by Macca and the gang because it was TOO UNFLATTERING.”

McCartney’s spokesperson has since denied Wood’s claim, telling NME the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “never saw this artwork.”

In the end, a positive thing did wind up coming from the portrait. Wood sold it on eBay for over $1,700 and plans to donate all proceeds to War Child U.K. in their mission to help children affected by conflict in various war zones, including Gaza and the Ukraine.

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